Turkish Food in NYC

What do you get when you put together yogurt, eggplant, tomatoes, lamb, and lots of olive oil? The finest Turkish cuisine of course. A Turkish menu might confuse the first-time with all the unfamiliar names, but after one taste of the extra deep, and creamy bowl of yogurty cacık, there is no turning back. When you have the undying craving for kebabs, why settle for anything less than the cuisine of the King of Kebabs. Most New Yorkers might not be very familiar with this gently spiced but flavourful cuisine, but hidden away from the busy streets are some of the most authentic Turkish restaurants. Check out Midtown East and the Upper East Side for authentic ocakbasi or casual kebab houses.

SIP SAK

Sipsak opened in 2004 and is located in Midtown East. Since then, Chef Orhan Yegen has been serving both quality interpretations of turkish classic dishes. Traditional Turkish plates both small & large are served in a casual bistro setting.

Address: 928 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10022 Phone:212-583-1900

TACI’S BEYTI

Taci’s Beyti, a warm, comfortable kebab house, is all about family. It’s been that way almost from the day Taci Bek opened the doors in 1988. Ersin Bek, his son, runs the restaurant, with a crew of Turkish cooks who haven’t changed the menu much since the start. Nor should they. The food here is as homey and reliable as the atmosphere. Highlights include: leek or artichoke meze, eggplant purée, fried liver cubes, French fries, lamb casserole, kebabs and kunefe, a sweet cheese layered with shredded dough and drenched in honey syrup. -Kim Severson Serving lunch and dinner, we offer free delivery Monday through Friday. Enjoy our homey, inviting atmosphere while you savor our delicious food at a great price. Try our lamb casserole, kebabs, fried liver cubes, and shepherds salad. If you’re bringing a big group, we offer Banquets- family style meals with a fixed menu at a fixed rate. We offer more options at a higher rate for our Deluxe Banquet. We invite you to bring your own wine and beer to accompany your meal.

Liman Restaurant has been the topic of many articles in various newspapers and magazines both here in the USA and in Europe. It is now the irresistible spot for people who have fine taste in food. Chef Mr. Basusta’s secrets of great the Mediterranean homemade food cooking like how to combine fresh ingredients to create authentic Turkish dishes that you’ll enjoy with your family and friends. Seafood is the focus of this Turkish restaurant with cocktails & mural-rich, nautical decor.

Another ocakbasi, this one in Bay Ridge takes a more inclusive approach to Middle Eastern food by adding items like shawarma and falafel. In truth, those are some of the best items to order here; the lamb shawarma makes a nice iskender and the lentil-shaped falafel are resoundingly crisp with whole spices that ring in your teeth. But a more Anatolia-centric dish of dense, creamy giant white beans paired with jazzy-sweet, olive-oily tomato sauce is pitch-perfect.

Kofte Piyaz isn’t a restaurant explicitly devoted to lentil soup, but take a sip and you’ll know right away that it’s the pride of the kitchen. The restaurant took up residence in an old American-style lunch counter, and it hasn’t changed much of the decor. The menu, though, is all Turkey: the same tomato-cucumber salads we’ve been talking about all day plus all manner of grilled lamb items, including the namesake kofte (meatballs) that get grilled hot and fast, then stuffed into poofy pillows of bread for sandwiches. But that lentil soup. Creamy but not heavy, earthy but full of sweet, vegetal character. It’s a lentil soup worth traveling for, a statement I thought I’d never make in my career as a food writer, but here we are. Oh, and that little dusting of dried mint on top is essential (fresh wouldn’t pack the same concentrated punch), so stir it in and lap this soup up fast. Turkish cafe serving grilled beef meatballs, lamb sausage & bean salads in a casual, intimate space.